Economic filtering system for delivery of permission based, targeted, incentivized advertising

Abstract

A method to control advertising messages directed at a user is provided. Such control might include setting a filter to control advertisements directed at a user. Advertisements are sent to a user based on the filter settings. The user may accept the advertisements. If the user accepts the advertisements, the user is provided with a reward. In addition, a method using a quiz to determine if a user is human or an automated respondent is provided. The user is presented with a quiz. The user is advised of the acceptable manner for responding to the quiz. The user's response to the quiz is received. A determination based on the user's response as to whether the user is a human or an automated respondent is made.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 transmitting, by a first computer system, a prompt to a second different computer system including one or more advertisements and a corresponding question related to the one or more advertisements, and a means for a human operator of a computer system to provide a respective answer thereto; 
 receiving, at the first computer system, a response related to the prompt; 
 determining, by the first computer system, whether the received response includes a correct answer; and 
 when so, inferring that the respective response was provided by the human operator of the second computer system and granting the human operator access to a computer-based resource otherwise, not granting the human operator access to the computer-based resource. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein one of the one or more advertisements is a text, image, audio or video advertisement. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  wherein the corresponding question relates to content presented in the one advertisement. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein access to the computer-based resource is access to a different advertisement. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein access to the computer-based resource is access to a video based content item. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein one of the one or more advertisements is an olfactory or taste based advertisement and wherein the question relates to what the user can smell or taste. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining an amount of time or amount of resources that will be accessible by the human operator before a next prompt is transmitted including adjusting an interval for a next prompt including increasing an amount of time or resources associated with the interval from a baseline amount to an increased amount when the respective response is inferred to have been provided by the human operator. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  wherein the increased amount is based on correctness or incorrectness of the human operator's responses to prior prompts. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1  further comprising providing a second prompt after expiration of the interval. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1  wherein the computer-based resource comprises a resource adapted for sending an e-mail message. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1  wherein the computer-based resource comprises a Web site. 
     
     
       12. A method, comprising:
 transmitting a prompt to a device including one or more advertisements and a corresponding question related to the one or more advertisements; 
 receiving a response related to the prompt; 
 determining, by one or more processors, whether the received response includes a correct answer; 
 when so, inferring that the respective response was provided by the human operator of the second computer system and granting the human operator access to a computer-based resource; otherwise, not granting the human operator access to the computer-based resource. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 determining a time to provide a second prompt wherein determining a time includes determining a time based on a correctness of the response and correctness or incorrectness of one or more prior responses to other prompts; 
 sending the second prompt at the second time. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 determining an amount of time or amount of resources that will be accessible by the human operator before a second prompt is transmitted including adjusting an interval for a next prompt including increasing an amount of time or resources associated with the interval from a baseline amount to an increased amount when the respective response is inferred to have been provided by the human operator. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14  wherein the interval is based at least in part on correctness or incorrectness of the human operator's responses to prior prompts.